Vacation Rentals by Owner

"Lucky in Maine" or "Husky does Sand Pond"

Guest: K. Hope V.
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 11/09/11

My elderly parents, my Husky dog, "Lucky", and my husband and I spent the month of October this year (2011) at Pinehurst Too on charming Sand Pond in Chesterville, Maine. We enjoyed ourselves so much, that we are definitely considering spending a Fall month at this venue next year! The quaint cottage is exactly as it is described here by the owner, in this listing, and the property was very clean and well-maintained when we arrived. We were welcomed by a fire that had been started in the stove by the property managers, so things would be nice and toasty for us when we arrived. Pictures you will see here give a very accurate depiction of the place, except the pictures are not able to reveal all of the charm that's here! I would definitely recommend this property to friends and family. In fact, my son and his family are thinking about coming here for a vacation, after they paid us a visit, while we were staying here! A girlfriend of mine who visited said that she thought Pinehurst Too had the very best view of the water on Sand Pond, and we walked around the pond several times. Carol, the owner, made sure that we had everything we wanted or needed, and she was kind enough to leave the dock, a paddle boat, and a canoe in the water for us, despite it beginning to get pretty chilly. We went out in the paddle boat one day with Lucky going along for the ride (he didn't do much paddling!), and when we came in to dock, he fell into the water! He's a Husky, so it was okay, but it is just one of the memorable stories we will have about our Sand Pond stay! It's wonderful that Carol's property is "pet friendly" because that meant that we were able to bring Lucky along for the vacation, rather than leaving him at the kennel, as we frequently have to. We particularly enjoyed Calzolaio Pasta Company in Wilton, which is apparently an old Bass Shoe Factory, converted to a very nice and interesting restaurant, but there was really nothing we saw or did here that we didn't like. I wholeheartedly give this vacation destination five stars, and I would recommend it to young and old alike, as well as pet owners and non-pet owners alike. And Lucky likewise gives it five stars (despite that falling in the pond thing!), and recommends it to all kinds of dogs, even small, fluffy ones! Hoping to see you in 2012, Carol!

Owner response:I particularly appreciate this guest's comment about the charm of the place, not as easily visible in the photos, as it is unpretentious and comfortable. I'm also glad to see the endorsement for the Calzolaio Pasta Company, which isn't just the best local restaurant, but can be favorably compared to more trendy vacation locales with more competitive restaurants. I also like that this review reflects my intention to do what I can to cater to a guest's requests: it certainly wasn't my property manager's preference to leave the dock in the water so late in the season, brrrr., he needed a wet suit to take it out! Also, fall is a really nice time to visit this area, with brilliant foliage and very few residents on the pond, so much solitude accompanied only by the sounds of nature.

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Just About Perfect

Guest: Nic (Peru, ME)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 08/29/11

Wicked cute pond, cozy cottage stocked with everything we could have asked for, lovely weather, we could have happily stayed another week (at least until school started). Adults loved it, kids loved it, dogs LOVED it. Caretaker checked in with us, but wasn't the least intrusive, and his lovely daughters were polite and friendly, offering to hang out with our kids. If only every Joe and his cousin didn't feel the need to ride up and down the road on a four wheeler several times a day, it would have been truely perfect. But as the title says, it was just about perfect, and that is good enough for me to want to come back again someday.

Owner response:I'm always happy when a guest has a great experience at my cottage, and takes the time to credit my property manager and his just right level of contact and readiness to ensure everything is in working order. I aim for "truth in advertising," and recently updated my description in my posting of the level of privacy and solitude in my cottage to reflect an increase in vehicle and ATV traffic on the dirt road between the cottage and the pond due to the addition of a seventh cottage between mine and the end of the dead-end road, that I had not observed until last month. That traffic is at its height in July and early August, but lessens nearer the end of the summer and in the fall and spring. I'm glad this guest's experience rated 5 stars and the yen to return.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Wonderful week!

Guest: Jennifer (Edinburgh, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 09/08/10

Spent a week at this cottage with a group of friends, and we had the nicest time! I loved the seclusion, and the use of the boats was extra special. I must say the nicest thing about this place is the caretakers. They went out of their way to answer all our silly questions, and made sure we were comfortable. They, along with a very nice neighbor lady, offered some great tips on places to go and where to shop! Don't let the square footage in the description fool you. This cottage is laid out with great use of space. There were 6 of us, and we had plenty of room to move about. The beds are very comfortable too The only complaint I had was that I wish I had brought my dog! The area is very dog-friendly, and nearly every person we saw (which really wasn't that many!) was walking a dog. Even our daily 4-wheeler with his running spaniel alongside was an amusing treat! Every single one of them stopped to say "Hey"...such friendly people in this neck of the woods! The loons are wonderful. I wish I could have brought one home to sing to me. I will really miss that! We hope to be back to Maine, and would not consider another place to stay!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lovely Cottage

Guest: Steve,Sue,Shadow (N.H.)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/13/10

Our vacation was amazing. Pinehurst Too is lovely and your pond is wonderful. In my 44 years I have never had better fishing. We caught15 plus bass 2 lbs. or bigger, spending most of our week on the pond. The loons are just so fun to watch. The boat rides will be remembered as fun and exciting. Jumping off in the middle of the pond for a refreshing swim was incredible. Your cottage is great. Thank you, Carol.

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Home Away From Home

Guest: Mo (Long Island, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

Do not be afraid to rent this gem ! Carol (owner) and Mike(property manager) go to the extreme to make sure everything is in perfect order. Everything you need to enjoy your stay is here and works !! As a vacation rental owner, I am proud to recommend this cottage. You will not be disappointed.

Owner response:I'm particularly pleased to see my property manager Mike complimented as he and his wife Stephie (and daughter Ashley and mother Alice) work as a seamless team to clean, repair, maintain and otherwise ensure my cottage stays in tip top shape for guests.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Summer getaway

Guest: Maine Law Student (Westbrook, ME)
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 07/10/10

We just got back from a very relaxing week here. We loved that you cannot see any neighbors, so it is very private. I think we saw 2 other boats go by in the entire week we were there, and I loved listening to the loons. The house is comfortably furnished. It's not huge, so we were pleasantly surprised that the bedrooms were such a good size, and comfortable. We spent a lot of time on the large screened in porch, as well as swimming and boating and fishing (the water is beautiful.) The property manager and owner clearly care greatly about the property and were great to work with. I wish we had more time to explore the area because it's beautiful and Farmington is a great little town, but truthfully, once we got there we didn't really want to go out!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Guest: Matt
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/21/10

I just wanted to say how pleased Jeanette and I were with our stay at your cottage. My wife was particularly struck by what she described as the “homey” feeling of the place. Your handpicked decorations were very fitting. The piece in the kitchen with the notes from Dr. Bogardus was wicked neat. The screened in porch made sitting outside at night a pleasure which we enjoyed every evening. Having the property manager meet us onsite and then finding the bottle of wine with the complimentary glasses was a VERY nice touch. And my personal favorite was having the motor boat available. We spent hours on the pond every day just toodling around and fishing. BTW we each caught Bass upwards of 4lbs and I am fairly sure Jeanette’s best was a legit 5 pounder (we will send you pix one of these days). We really tried (and succeeded) to spend the vast majority of our time at the camp and on the pond.

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Exhale and Breathe

Guest: Beth & Steven (Baltimore, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 06/04/10 Review Submitted: 08/06/10

It has been 15 years since my husband and I stayed in a cabin on Locke Pond (just behind Sand Pond). Now, 5 kids later, we felt that everyone was finally old enough for the long van ride from Maryland for a lake-side vacation. My husband found your lovely cabin online, and we scheduled this vacation. As soon as we arrived at your cabin in Maine, we exhaled all of the stress of city living, and breathed-in the fresh Maine mountain air. We knew at that moment that it was going to be a restful vacation. Favorite activities of the week included rides on all three boats, swimming in the lake, fishing, watching the two sets of momma and baby ducks on the pond, counting up the different species of wildlife that we saw, (including my run-in with a porcupine on a walk around the pond!), lake-side night-time fires while listening to the loons and roasting marshmallows for s'mores, and laying on the dock at night and looking at the stars. (One of our kids exclaimed, "There are a lot more stars here in Maine than there are in Baltimore, Maryland!") I especially enjoyed reading on the porch and on the dock, and my children greatly enjoyed playing and exploring outside. Even rainy days were pleasant as we listened to the rain while we read, played games, and watched movies. A special "shout-out" goes to Mike, the property manager and Stephie, the housekeeper, who are not only lovely people (along with their daughter, Ashley, whom my children adored), but also care for the property as if were their own and treat the guests as friends. Thank you for following your dream, purchasing, improving, and furnishing this lovely cabin. We hope to have many summer vacations here and have already reserved for 2011!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

last 2009 review--see all on www.vrbo.com #207124

Guest: Mary Regan, Waltham, MA
Date of Stay: 10/18/09 Review Submitted: 03/20/10

We had a wonderful long weekend at Pinehurst Cottage. We enjoyed fishing off the dock and walking on the tree lined roads and trails. It was furnished lovely. We had the wood stove and the heater keeping us toasty warm. The kitchen had everything we needed. It was a nice to get away from the noise and hustle and bustle of our everyday lives and sit on the front porch and read or to sit in front of the wood stove and play clue with a glass of wine! Make sure if you get the chance to visit to you take a minute to look up...the stars are amazing. Also the owner has taken the time to give you history and loaded a book with helpful hints and nice to knows. I am hoping we can visit again when we can swim in the lake...which you will see is crystal clear. Looking forward to another visit!

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Guest: Mary Regan (Waltham, MA)
Date of Stay: 10/18/09 Review Submitted: 10/18/09

We had a wonderful long weekend at Lake Cottage. We enjoyed fishing off the dock and walking on the tree lined roads and trails. It was furnished lovely. We had the wood stove and the heater keeping us toasty warm. The kitchen had everything we needed. It was a nice to get away from the noise and hustle and bustle of our everyday lives and sit on the front porch and read or to sit in front of the wood stove and play clue with a glass of wine! Make sure if you get the chance to visit to you take a minute to look up...the stars are amazing. Also the owner has taken the time to give you history and loaded a book with helpful hints and nice to knows. I am hoping we can visit again when we can swim in the lake...which you will see is crystal clear. Looking forward to another visit! The Regan's of MA

Owner response:This guest IS referring to Pinehurst II, just referred to it as Lake Cottage.

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Guest: N.Kay C. (Brooklyn, NY)
Date of Stay: 09/28/09 Review Submitted: 09/28/09

The cottage is comfortable, attractive and well-kept, with everything one could need for a vacation in this beautiful place. Walks in the woods, swimming and boating in the lake, seeing the nearby sights of Maine, picking blueberries, toasting marshmallows in the fire and listening to the loons: resulted in unanimous vote to return for family vacation next year.

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Guest: Goldsmith and Candelaria family (Florence, AZ)
Date of Stay: 08/18/09 Review Submitted: 08/18/09

We had a wonderful stay in your beautiful cottage. The constant rain was a treat for us Arizonans. We left two lobster plates that we used for our lobster dinner. Hope you enjoy them. Thank you for sharing your lovely home with us.

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Guest: Fiffick Family (Spotswood, NJ)
Date of Stay: 08/18/09 Review Submitted: 08/18/09

We had a great time here at your wonderful cabin. My husband and 2 boys loved riding in the boat and fishing off the dock. My daughter also loved the fishing and view of the lake. This is our third year vacationing in Maine and plan to visit again next year.

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Guest: Marcin Rzeszotko (Raritan, NJ)
Date of Stay: 08/18/09 Review Submitted: 08/18/09

Thank you for sharing your home with us. Our stay here was very enjoyable; this is truly a beautiful place. It was a treat to get away from the regular rush of our everyday life, and instead be able to relax while taking in the scenery of Maine.

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Guest: Harnden, P. & B.
Date of Stay: 08/12/09 Review Submitted: 08/11/09

. . .We made a couple of memories we will never forget. The first night we were here my husband caught an 18" 2-pound large-mouth bass and since then I could not get him off that dock . . .

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Guest: Joe Kaczynski (Tucson, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 07/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/01/09

This place was GREAT. I highly recommend it for those looking for a quiet, comfortable getaway. The fishing for large-mouth bass was good. Being located only about 15 minutes from Farmington made it very handy to pick up any necessary supplies. I will definitly consider renting again next year. Thanks for a wonderful time.

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what my first guest wrote:

Guest: Joe Kaczynski, Tuscon
Date of Stay: 06/06/09 Review Submitted: 03/19/10

This place was GREAT. I highly recommend it for those looking for a quiet, comfortable getaway. The fishing for large-mouth bass was good. Being located only about 15 minutes from Farmington made it very handy to pick up any necessary supplies. I will definitely consider renting again next year. Thanks for a wonderful time.

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